Wanderers woes continue with ex A-League coaches 'toxic environment' critique

Western Sydney Wanderers' string of mediocre performances continued with another A-League loss last Saturday. While a lot of blame is being directed at head coach Carl Robinson, the club's current management has been given a scathing critique by two of their former coaches.

Wanderer's head coach Carl Robinson was appointed to his position ahead of last season. Since the start of his tenure, Western Sydney has seemingly gone through two squad revamps without performance enhancements either time. Robinson's Wanderers have only won eleven matches out of thirty three, with criticism now stretching past the beleaguered coach.

Western Sydney Wanderers critique

Eight in A-League ladder in what could be shaping up to be another disappointing season.
Head coach Carl Robinson is in the second year of his tenure, without concrete improvements.
Two Wanderers ex-coaches have publicly called out the club's management about the environment and leadership at Western Sydney.

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This year's Wanderers performances have continued to be lacklustre, despite a seemingly improved squad. It has led many to already wonder five rounds into the 2021-22 campaign if this season will become another repetition of what the club has been in the last few years, potential but with no winning identity.

While Robinson has in the past stated his goal was to bring through players within the age group he wants, players that can focus on keeping the ball, neither aim is materializing into positive performances. Even when Wanderers do achieve to keep the majority of possession, as they have in the past two rounds, they are not creating chances.

This was clear on Saturday against Mariners when they only had one clearcut attempt on goal. Asked after the 2-0 loss to Central Coast about why his forward line who have both experience and quality were not creating opportunities, Robinson said "The answer is I am not sure."

"The answer is I'm not sure" #RBTVWSW pic.twitter.com/gTsMLIEpS4
— RBTV (@RBTVWSW) December 19, 2021

To so bluntly admit a lack of clarity on one of your side's greatest issues, is startling. Whether Robinson misspoke in the moment or was honest in his admission, the statement does not help the coach's tenuous position.

However, two former Wanderers coaches have taken to twitter after the response and put the blame for Western Sydney's woes not at Robinson's feet, but at the club's CEO John Tsatsimas and the general manager Gavin Costello.

Former Socceroo Dean Hefferman, who was Wanderer's A-League Women's head coach from 2019-2021, tweeted a response to Robinson's above posted statement of "The answer is I'm not sure":

“I can tell you Carl. It’s because JT [CEO John Tsatsimas] and Gavin Costello [general manager of football operations] have created the most toxic environment I’ve seen in 20 years of football. Paul Lederer wouldn’t be aware of what goes on. How can 60-odd players and 4 coaches over 5 years be wrong. I rejected a 3rd year due to the above.”

Patrick Zwaanswikj, a former Mariners teammate of Hefferman who was also with Wanderers as an assistant last season but left after Robinson's appointment, replied to Hefferman's critique:

"Thank you Dean. I know 100% I wasn’t the only one. We’re both in business now because of it. We will keep our heads up but won’t be silenced anymore. Truth hurts but is healing at the same time."

Hefferman would also later post to twitter:

"It’s not the players. This has been happening for years now, most former players that walk in there say somethings not right here anymore. It an energy and you feel it, and can smell it from the car park. It slowly seeps into you without even knowing."

While the airing of grievances on twitter is in no way uncommon on social media, the public manner in which two very recent members of the Wanderers organization have called out the management and club decline arguably is.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the club's patience is "running thin with Robinson internally, and his removal appears to be a matter of time."

While a Robinson departure could change the tide in the interim, if both ex-coaches are correct in their assessment and agreement of the "most toxic environment seen I've in 20 years of football," Wanderer's issues may stem deeper than just needing another coaching direction.